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Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center
Research at the Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center focuses on providing the scientific understanding and technologies needed to support and implement sound management and conservation of our Nation's biological resources occurring in Hawai'i and other Pacific island locations.
Featured Research
Featured Research
Learn about research to understand power outages caused by brown treensnakes and explore approaches to protect sensitive infrastructure.
News
A Tale of Two Islands and the Future of an Ocean Sentinel Seabird
A Tale of Two Islands and the Future of an Ocean Sentinel Seabird
WEBINAR: USGS Invasive Species Science - Innovation for a Healthy Nation
WEBINAR: USGS Invasive Species Science - Innovation for a Healthy Nation
USGS ecologists lead Powell Center working group investigating the broader impacts of invasive plants
USGS ecologists lead Powell Center working group investigating the broader impacts of invasive plants
Publications
Phylogenomic analyses reveal introgression and cryptic speciation in the globally distributed, vector-transmitted pathogen Plasmodium relictum Phylogenomic analyses reveal introgression and cryptic speciation in the globally distributed, vector-transmitted pathogen Plasmodium relictum
Establishing species limits is challenging, particularly for pathogens of wildlife. These pathogens can be difficult to sample and culture, and their genome sequencing must often be conducted in the presence of high levels of host DNA. Plasmodium relictum is a mosquito-vectored avian malaria pathogen that is a globally distributed host generalist, comprised of several genetic lineages...
Genomic structural variation rescues a classic biological invader from a population bottleneck Genomic structural variation rescues a classic biological invader from a population bottleneck
Invasion genetics presents a classic paradox: how do species successfully spread despite severe population bottlenecks? The brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) in Guam represents a striking example of this phenomenon, having been introduced with only a handful of individuals. We show that the population endured an extreme bottleneck, with roughly half of the genome exhibiting runs of...
Predicted range shifts of non‐native grasses in response to climate change are influenced by photosynthetic pathway: A case study in the Hawaiian Islands Predicted range shifts of non‐native grasses in response to climate change are influenced by photosynthetic pathway: A case study in the Hawaiian Islands
Aim Grasses comprise three main photosynthetic pathway variants (C3-BOP, C3-PACMAD and C4-PACMAD hereafter referred to as C4). We sought to confirm climate niche differences among these photosynthetic pathway variants and assessed whether predicted non-native grass range shift patterns with climate change differ among photosynthetic pathway variants.Location Hawaiian Islands.Methods We...
Science
How to catch a vector: Mosquito monitoring for avian malaria control
USGS researchers are combatting avian malaria by improving the trapping and tracking of mosquitoes in endangered Hawaiian bird habitats.
eDNA and the Efficacy of Management Actions
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a powerful feedback tool, giving managers fast, clear, and cost-effective evidence to guide decisions and improve conservation outcomes.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Environmental Health Program, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Great Lakes Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Western Fisheries Research Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory
eDNA for Water-Quality Monitoring and Public Health Protection
By analyzing genetic traces left behind in water, eDNA provides early warning signs of problems—helping managers respond faster, protect public health, and keep freshwater ecosystems resilient.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Environmental Health Program, Alaska Science Center, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Great Lakes Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Western Fisheries Research Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory